Chapter 596: Drastic Measures

A tall, thin young man stood in front of Gongyang Zeng. His face looked like Gongyang Zeng’s, a long but well-featured face. He looked quite handsome and wore a proud countenance. This youth was none other than Gongyang Zeng’s second legitimate son, Gongyang Bao, who used to cultivate in the Golden Light Cave of Mount Wudang. This time, he had something to report on.

Gongyang Bao nodded and said, “Your son has accomplished the task. All the immortals have made up their minds. They’ve decided to intervene.”

While speaking about it, he frowned slightly and continued, “It was rather strange. When I first reported on the School of Mo policy to the immortals, they all decided to ignore it. They didn’t think that their reclusive sect should intervene in secular affairs. Moreover, they thought that Honoring the Virtuous and abolishing Transit Dues wouldn’t affect the feudal prince’s family much. If their descendants work hard, they’ll surely hold important positions.”

Some aristocrats called themselves the feudal prince’s family.

Gongyang Zeng stoked his beard and said slowly, “I was just worrying that they might think like that. And because of it, I haven’t done anything over the last days. Well, I did not expect too much out of them either. Anyway, why did they change their minds?”

Gongyang Bao was feeling puzzled as well. He continued, “I don’t know, actually. When I was first rejected, I begged them but it was in vain. Then, I was just wandering on the mountain and tried to persuade the affiliates. Finally, after nearly one month, I was about to return. However, the immortals suddenly called me and said Chen state’s political reforms were indeed degenerating, and they decided to intervene.” Gongyang Bao did not understand the sudden change at all.

Gongyang Zeng strolled with his hands behind his back. He thought it over and asked, “Did anyone else visit the Golden Light Cave?”

Gongyang Bao had just stepped into the Exterior, and his Master was away traveling at that time. If there was no other assistance, he certainly could not make the Golden Light Cave Elders change their minds.

Gongyang Bao shook his head. “As far as I know, no one did.”

Gongyang Bao paused and then continued, “Anyway, they’ve agreed on this. A grandmaster and a secret weapon will be sent. Nevertheless, they’ve said that political reforms were internal affairs. Honoring the Virtuous was applied within Chen state’s territory and the hereditary system was not abolished. Thus, they didn’t have the right to intervene and wouldn’t do it in the Golden Light Cave’s name. We should plan this by ourselves. Please instruct me, father.”

“It’s fine. I already have a plan.” Gongyang Zeng rubbed his hands and wore a delightful countenance. He looked as if he had everything of control.

Before he could ask about the plan, another thing struck Gongyang Bao. Thus, he continued in a low voice, “Father, I’ve heard from sectmates that the King of Chu thinks highly of abolishing the Transit Dues. A few aristocrats’ caravans have gained the first profits from it. Moreover, there’s no dissent in the Tang state, they seem to agree with the change. It looks like the merchants have experienced it. If we stop the reform, we might receive interference from other parties.”

During the month, Chen state’s abolishing the Transit Dues had not become that influential. However, Chen state was close to Chu state and Tang state, especially to the Chu capital, that many merchants had traded there several times and had greatly benefited from this policy.

Similarly, Meng Qi had only been lecturing in Chen state for just over two months. It turned out that most of the aristocrats, scholars, and common people had picked up strange words like “benefit”, “profit”, “bring order out of chaos”, etc.

After his son finished, Gongyang Zeng could not help but exclaim, “I have to say that the five saints of the School of Mo are talented. Su Mo is especially talented. Mutual Benefits is really the ultimate way to practice among nations and people. The reform policies do benefit Chu state and Tang state, thus they’d happily have a share of it. Moreover, their merchants can do some secret trading under our cover.”

Since his father had acknowledged Su Mo, Gongyang Bao knew for sure that stopping the reform would draw interference. Thus, he asked again, “Father, will we still do it or not?”

Gongyang Zeng looked at his son tenderly and chuckled. “You’re still too young and naive. When the thing you oppose becomes solid, you don’t try to resist it or bring it down. Instead, you try to take control of it. That way, you’ll get rid of the bad side and benefit from it.”

“Try to take control of it?” Gongyang Bao was stunned.

Gongyang Zeng then seriously said, “The new state policies will be continued, but not by Su Mo. They’ll be by us!

“Since Su Mo once said, the river of history flows on ahead. Anyone who swims along with it will survive, otherwise, they’ll die. So, we will swim along, and we’ll be its controller. We’ll strengthen ourselves in it!”

Hearing this, Gongyang Bao saw his father’s ulterior motive. For the first time, he knew what a real sly fox was and what real sophistication was. “It’s no wonder that my father is the main counselor of the three largest aristocratic families.”

“So, will we assassinate Su Mo?” Gongyang Bao could only come up with this idea. Nevertheless, he was so afraid that he might have mistaken his father’s meaning that his voice cracked.

Gongyang Zeng laughed it away as if it was some kind of joke. Then, he continued, “Why should we do that? Will we become the controllers if they die? Moreover, since the Tian Guang incident, they’ve been heavily guarded. The king is also paying much attention to them. If we want to kill them, we’ll at least need the Golden Light Cave immortals with their Divine Weapons and magical artifacts or a few Tai Shang Elders!”

Then, he wore a profound face and asserted, “However, they have a weakness, which they see as a strength. They’ve been relying on his protection, thus he’s not that heavily guarded.”

Gongyang Bao widened his eyes. “Father, you’re talking about the King of Chen!”

The King of Chen was a grandmaster, the most capable person in Chen state. He protected Meng Qi from the assassinations. However, his safety had become the most likely to be neglected.

Gongyang Zeng agreed with his opinion. “Only by supporting the new king can the royal court belong to us again. Then, we’ll hunt down Su Mo and his group. The new state policies will naturally be ours.”

Gongyang Zeng did not hesitate at all, even his son was stunned by the crazy counterattack.

“But, formations cover the royal court, and the king is a grandmaster with Exquisite Precious Weapons. We’ll at least need the Golden Light Cave immortals with their Divine Weapons and magical artifacts, or a few Tai Shang Elders, otherwise…” He was so shocked that he kept repeating his father’s words.

Gongyang Zeng said with a smirk, “Only if we confront them directly. The Tian family and the Wang family are big families; they surely have their networks in the royal court. Ask the Golden Light Cave immortals this: If they can sneak into the royal court and have assistance like Tranquility Incense, can’t they kill the king?”

“The Tian family, the Wang family, and Tranquility Incense?” Gongyang Bao cried in surprise.

Gongyang Zeng nodded. “Yes, we’ve arranged that.”

Gongyang Bao thought for a while and said resolutely, “If they can’t succeed with that, they don’t deserve to be grandmasters.”

.

…

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The mansion of the Grand Minister over the Masses sat so close to the royal court that the King of Chen could help protect it. The king’s lookouts made the house seem impregnable.

“With no army anomalies within the three large aristocrats’ territories, it looks like there will be no internal wars in the near future.” Meng Qi concluded this with the information given by some followers of the School of Mo who had sneaked into the territories and searched for intelligence.

Nevertheless, Jiang Zhiwei could not help frowning. “They’re too obedient. After Tian Guang’s death, the three families held only one private session. They’ve done nothing further since then. Behind anything that seems to be implausible, there must be a reason. If we were to ignore the reason, we might find out about it too late when trouble comes for us.”

“We can’t track them…” Zhao Heng complained. “The Heavenly Knowing skill Little Meng got from Far-seeing Eyes’s memory is not complete. It must be combined with talents to be cultivated; otherwise, we can spy on Gongyang Zeng to learn what he’s up to.”

Under Meng Qi’s guidance, Zhao Heng could finally call him Little Meng.

Just then, Ruan Yushu suddenly said, “What about the Golden Light Cave on Mount Wudang?”

“The Tian family’s acquaintances in Chu state?” Qi Zhengyan followed up.

Meng Qi reviewed his intelligence and said, “They’re really satisfied with the benefits from the new policies and have sent people to tell us that they won’t intervene in the reform.

“However, the Golden Light Cave sits deep within the mountain. I can’t even find it, let alone spy on them. I only know that Gongyang Zeng’s second legitimate son, Gongyang Bao, has recently returned from Mount Wudang. No one else was with him. That’s all, I can’t track anyone from the Golden Light Cave.”

“You’re able to find that out?” Zhao Heng exclaimed at Meng Qi and thought, “He can even find out where an expert of the Exterior goes!”

Meng Qi chuckled. “No matter how we improvise on the School of Mo’s thoughts, Love with Impartiality and Against Fatalism have greatly benefited the common people. Therefore, our followers in the Gongyang Family, the Tian family, and the Wang family have been feeding us information. Well, Gongyang Bao returns home to rest and cultivate. He must have people serving him, doesn’t he? How can we not know such a thing?”

“This is the power of the people. They can surround you like the sea!” Meng Qi thought.

“It’s a shame that this power didn’t develop to such a point a month ago; otherwise, we might have heard what the three large families talked about in the private session!”

“Anyway, take caution against the Golden Light Cave. It is best to remind the King of Chen to ask for the King of Chu’s endorsement. Unfortunately, I didn’t let the King of Chu appreciate the ‘benefit’; otherwise, we wouldn’t have to worry about his endorsement.” Zhao Heng was amazed at the development of the followers of the School of Mo.

The King of Chen was not closely related to the Golden Light Cave. It was hard to find a powerhouse to lobby for him.

Meng Qi said with a smile, “I had that same thought.”

Just then, there came an envoy saying that the King of Chen had invited them to discuss the state affairs.

“How timely!” Meng Qi chuckled and headed for the royal court with Jiang Zhiwei. Bai Song, Zhao Bai, and Wang Qi remained to manage the affairs in the mansion of the Grand Minister over the Masses.

It was gloomy outside. Though the wind blew fiercely, they still felt stuffy as if a storm was coming.

Meng Qi found this kind of weather upsetting; however, there was not any sign of danger. Thus, he just cleared his mind and walked on.

When they were near the royal court, one guard up ahead approached to check their identities.

The guard bore a childish face that Meng Qi found familiar. He was Tian Kuo, the youngest son of the previous Minister of Justice, Tian Heng. He was tested and recommended to be a follower of the School of Mo. He was not an ordinary aristocrat!

“Why is the junior warden guarding here?”

Tian Kuo stared directly into Meng Qi’s eyes and wore a serious face as he lowered his left hand and gestured at Meng Qi.

He gestured: extreme danger!

“Run? Danger?” Meng Qi was astounded that his Eight Nine Mysteries had sensed nothing at all.

“Is there someone so capable that he can hide from my senses?

“He stirs up such weather?”

The more critical the situation was, the calmer Meng Qi was. Rather, he started to take caution. “Something is wrong in the royal court. What about the King of Chen?”

Quickly, he applied the Jade Virtual Divination to deduce the safety of the King of Chen.

“Ambiguity? Uncertainty?

“Ambiguity means an anomaly…” Meng Qi did not have the time to think. He immediately said to Jiang Zhiwei using the Secret-voice Sending, “Run, before it’s too late.”

In an instant, Meng Qi, Qi Zhengyan, Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, and Zhao Heng ran in different directions!

Their escapes caused three lights. The person who was waiting inside the royal court sensed them and stood up immediately. He held a longbow. The arrow was made from condensed golden lights!

At the same time, in the mansion of the Grand Minister over the Masses, Bai Song read the intelligence that he just received: Servants from the three large aristocratic families all found anomalies during the night.

“Quickly, stop Mr. Su!” He raised his head in an instant, looking at Wang Qi and Zhao Bai.